Wisconsin 05/16/13 greenbaypressgazette.com: by Nathan Phelps – A man was bitten, cut and scratched Wednesday when he was attacked by a black bear on Finch Lane in Silver Cliff in Marinette County. Gerre Ninnemann encountered the bear just before 1:30 p.m. after seeing it go after his dog, according to a Marinette County Sheriff’s Department report. Ninnemann called his dog back to the house and tried to run inside, but the bear ran him down from behind and took him to the ground. The animal started biting and clawing at his back, the report said. Ninnemann was able to get up and make it to the corner of the cabin, but was caught by the animal again.

Marinette County

His wife, Marie, grabbed a shotgun from the home and used it to hit the bear on the head. At that point, Gerre Ninneman again was able to get away from the bear. He used theshotgun to poke it in an effort to keep it away as they retreated into the cabin. The bear continued to circle the cabin and look in the windows, according to the report. A Marinette County deputy shot and killed the bear. A conservation warden took possession of the bear to check for possible rabies, according to the incident report. Gerre Ninneman was taken to Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette for treatment.

Hantavirus:

Gallatin County

Montana 05/17/13 bozemandailychronicle.com: County and state officials today confirmed two new cases of hantavirus and the first 2013 death in the state from the illness. A Gallatin County woman in her 20s died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and a Carbon County man in his 40s was diagnosed with it, the Department of Health and Human Services reported.

Carbon County

The Gallatin County woman is the 10th person in Montana to die from hantavirus. Both people appear to have had recent exposure to rodents. There have been 37 reported cases of hantavirus in Montana since 1993. With one or two cases a year, Montana is second only to New Mexico in the number of cases. – For further details read May 18 report at www.dailychronicle.com

Mountain Lion Sightings:

California 05/14/13 sanluisobispo.com: by Julia Hickey – A mountain lion sighting at Cal Poly on Monday night has brought the number of sightings at or near the university to four this month. All of the sightings have taken place near Poly Canyon Village, said George Hughes, chief of police for the University Police Department. “This mountain lion has been seen on the hillside. That’s its natural habitat; it’s not unusual,” Hughes said. The first sighting took place May 2 on Stenner Creek Road; followed by two sightings Sunday near the Poly Canyon Village parking structure; and a fourth sighting at 9:30 p.m. on Monday night in the same area near the structure. Police are assuming that all sightings are of the same mountain lion, Hughes said. Although mountain lions are secretive and attacks on humans are rare, police say there are considered threats. – For recommendations see http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/05/14/2508213/mountain-lion-poly-canyon-village.html

Chronic Wasting Disease:

Virginia 05/14/13 dailyprogress.com: by Aaron Richardson – A deadly brain disorder affecting deer, moose and elk is on the region’s doorstep, and its spread could be impossible to stop. Chronic wasting disease, a progressive condition that can remain idle for years before killing the infected animal, has been found in deer 25 miles from the Shenandoah National Park’s northern border, said park biologist Rolf Gubler. The park stretches northeast from outside Waynesboro to Front Royal. Experts say there is no evidence that chronic wasting can be transmitted to humans. But its effect on deer, as well as moose and elk, is devastating — symptoms include dramatic weight loss, tremors and teeth-grinding — and the disease is incurable. Park officials held meetings on chronic wasting earlier this spring in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Washington, and they are working on a plan to contain the infection. That could include thinning the heaviest populations of whitetail deer in the park. – For complete article see http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/chronic-wasting-disease-in-deer-likely-to-move-farther-east/article_173a965a-bcea-11e2-ad43-0019bb30f31a.html

Wyoming 05/14/13 thewildlifenews.com: Information gleaned from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department indicates that deadly Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is advancing towards western Wyoming’s winter elk feed grounds and Yellowstone National Park. A new map from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition shows the areas where the disease has been detected in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are within 45 miles of winter elk feedgrounds and about 40 miles from Yellowstone Park’s northeast corner. The 2012 information reveals the farthest advance west of CWD in deer in Wyoming yet. Last year, three mule deer were found infected with CWD in Green River, Wyo.; an infected moose was found near Idaho in Star Valley, Wyo., in 2008. Veteran conservationist Lloyd Dorsey of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition said the disease is now essentially on the doorstep of the elk feed grounds, including the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole. Dorsey notes that deer from the endemic disease areas to the east and south migrate north and west to elk herd units in the upper Green River and Jackson Hole, where most of the winter feed grounds are located. For more information on the map depicting CWD areas and Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s efforts to phase out the artificial elk feeding areas and transition to healthier, free ranging wildlife, see http://www.greateryellowstone.org/elkrefuge – For complete article see http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2013/05/17/chronic-wasting-disease-closes-in-on-yellowstone/

Arkansas 05/16/13 Garland County: Officials confirm nine skunks have tested positive for rabies in the county in the last three months. Pope County has the highest in the state with 13 cases, and statewide Arkansas had more confirmed cases by May of this year than in the entire year of 2011. With 90 confirmed cases and the summer months still ahead, the Natural State is on track to surpass the 131 cases recorded in 2012. – See http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext?nxd_id=663792

Maryland 05/14/13 carrollcountytimes.com: by Kelcie Pegher – The Carroll County Health Department is seeking a medium-sized dog with a black coat that bit a person at Memorial Park in Taneytown May 5, according to a release from Carroll County Government. Joe Mancuso, the rabies coordinator for Carroll County said from the description that was given to him, it does not appear as though the dog had rabies. If you have any information to help locate the dog or its owner, contact the Carroll County Health Department at 410-876-1884, or the Carroll County Humane Society at 410-848-4810.

North Carolina 05/15/13 Henderson County: A gray fox that attacked and bit a woman who was working in the garden at her home on Penny Drive in Hendersonville has tested positive for rabies. The fox bit her several times on the left hand and right leg. Later that night, the fox bit a man in the vicinity of Sweetwater Hills Drive and fortunately the man managed to kill the animal with his flashlight. Both bite victims are being treated for exposure to the virus. – See http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20130515/NEWS/130519867?p=2&tc=pg

On Thursday, May 23rd, APHIS’ Wildlife Services and Veterinary Services programs will host a scoping meeting to provide more information about a national approach to feralswine damage management and take comments from participating stakeholders. Anyone who is unable to attend in person can join the meeting via a live Webcast. Additional meeting information is available on the Wildlife Services’ Web site at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/feral_swine/index.shtml. A Notice announcing APHIS’ intent to prepare an environmental impact statement to examine the potential impacts of alternatives for feral swine damage management was published in today’s Federal Register. The public comment period closes June 12. http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS_FRDOC_0001-1436.

Maine 04/24/13 maine.gov/ifw: News Release – LPDV or lymphoproliferativedisease virus causes minor to extreme lesions on a turkey’s head and legs. It is thought to spread between turkeys by direct skin contact or through mosquito bites. Some turkeys can fend off minor infections and survive while others can develop extreme lesions that inhibit their sight and ability to eat, which ultimately leads to death. The disease poses no risk to human health. However, like all infections, caution is advised while handling a bird with LPDV. There is a potential for secondary bacterial infections if birds are handled improperly. Thoroughly cooking the meat to an internal temperature of a minimum of 165°F is also advised. Although wild turkeys cannot pass on this virus to humans, if you shoot a bird that looks like the above picture and you do not want to eat it, do NOT register it and please contact a Wildlife Biologist or call the Department of Public Safety in Augusta at (800) 452-4664 to be connected with a Game Warden. After examining the bird, the Department staff member will determine your eligibility to harvest another turkey. Little is known about the origin of LPDV in the United States.

Turkey infected with LPDV. Photo courtesy Maine IFW Dept.

LPDV was first detected in domestic turkeys in Europe. The first confirmed case in the United Sates was in wild turkeys in Georgia in 2009. MDIFW confirmed Maine’s first case of LPDV in April 2012. Since that time, we have confirmed several cases throughout the state. Currently, known cases occur virtually wherever wild turkeys are present. We speculate that a combination of a very good turkey production year in 2011 and the mild winter of 2011-2012 may have contributed to the apparent increase in occurrence recently. – See http://www.maine.gov/ifw/news_events/pressreleases/index.htm

North Carolina 04/25/13 Orange County: A 2-month-old goat that died Monday on a small family farm in the northern part of the county has tested positive for rabies. Several family members and a neighbor who had been bottle-feeding the goat for several weeks are being treated for exposure to the virus. Six other goats on the farm have been quarantined. – See http://www.wral.com/goat-in-orange-county-tests-positive-for-rabies/12380917/

Oklahoma 04/25/13 Cleveland County: A skunk that attacked two 6-week-old puppies on the back porch of their owners home in Norman has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKDx_Hq2aRo

National 01/17/13 usnews.com: by Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter – Although still rare, the extremely serious disease known as Eastern equine encephalitis may be affecting more people than before. In a recent review of two epidemics of Eastern equine encephalitis since the mid-2000s, researchers found 15 cases of the mosquito-borne illness among children in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Normally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records about five to 10 cases a year nationwide. “This virus is rare, but it’s among the world’s most dangerous viruses, and it’s in your own backyard,” said lead review author Dr. Asim Ahmed, an infectious disease specialist at Children’s Hospital Boston.

National 01/16/13 bostonglobe.com: by Beth Daley – Researchers have discovered a new human disease in the Northeast transmitted by the same common deer tick that can infect people with Lyme disease. The bacterial illness causes flu-like symptoms, the researchers from Tufts, Yale, and other institutions reported Wednesday, but they also described the case of an 80-year-old woman who became confused and withdrawn, lost weight, and developed hearing difficulty and a wobbly gait. The woman, from NewJersey, recovered after receiving antibiotics. Researchers estimate that 1 percent of the population in areas where Lyme is widespread — such as western Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands — may be infected by the new bacteria, which can be transmitted by the tick when it is as small as a poppy seed. Lyme disease is thought to be 7 to 10 times more prevalent in these areas.

The discovery, disclosed in a paper and letter in the New England Journal of Medicine, marks the fifth human illness spread by deer ticks in the region, highlighting growing concerns about the threat posed by ticks and the burgeoning population of their hosts — deer. The disease is so new it remains unnamed and there is no readily-available test for doctors to screen for it, although some are being developed. “It was right under our nose the whole time,’’ said Sam Telford, a professor at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine who studies tick-borne diseases, and one of the authors on the paper about the elderly woman. He said the bacterium, known as Borrelia miyamotoi, has been known to exist in deer ticks for about decade. But it was not believed to cause human illness until researchers last year linked it to 46 sick people in Russia, some with relapsing fevers. One scientist said the new disease might be the cause of unexplained symptoms, from fatigue to cognitive decline, in some people who believe they have Lyme but do not test positive for that bacteria. – For complete article see http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2013/01/16/new-illness-transmitted-same-tick-that-carries-lyme-discovered-northeast/LLAaJjOaFjJT18QEeUYdeN/story.html

Global 01/16/13 nbcnews.com: by Stephanie Nebehay, Reuters – Dengue is the world’s fastest-spreading tropical disease and represents a “pandemic threat”, infecting an estimated 50 million people across all continents, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. Transmitted by the bite of female mosquitoes, the disease is occurring more widely due to increased movement of people and goods – including carrier objects such as bamboo plants and used tires – as well as floods linked to climate change, the United Nations agency said. The viral disease, which affected only a handful of areas in the 1950s, is now present in more than 125 countries – significantly more than malaria, historically the most notorious mosquito-borne disease. The most advanced vaccine against dengue is only 30 percent effective, trials last year showed.

“In 2012, dengue ranked as the fastest spreading vector-borne viral disease with an epidemic potential in the world, registering a 30-fold increase in disease incidence over the past 50 years,” the WHO said in a statement. Late last year, Europe suffered its first sustained outbreak since the 1920s, with 2,000 people infected on the Portuguese Atlantic island of Madeira. Worldwide, 2 million cases of dengue are reported each year by 100 countries, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America, causing 5,000 to 6,000 deaths, said Dr. Raman Velayudhan, a specialist at the WHO’s control of neglected tropical diseases department. But the true number is far higher as the disease has spread exponentially and is now present on all continents, he said. “The WHO estimates that on average about 50 million cases occur every year. This is a very conservative estimate,” Velayudhan told Reuters, adding that some independent studies put the figure at 100 million. – For complete article see http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/16/16547799-who-dengue-is-fastest-spreading-tropical-disease?lite

Rabies:

Connecticut 01/17/13 New London County: Health officials confirmed Wednesday that a raccoon captured in Groton in the vicinity of Fishtown Road has tested positive for rabies. – See http://groton.patch.com/articles/raccoon-in-groton-tests-positive-for-rabies

Rhode Island 01/17/13 Washington County: A person that was bittenby araccoon in an unprovoked attacked on Monday night is being treated for possible exposure to rabies. The incident occurred on Heritage Road in North Kingstown. Attempts to capture the raccoon failed and the animal remains at large however, if it was infected with rabies it may now be dead. Always seek immediate medical advice if a person or a pet is exposed to a raccoon whether alive or dead. – See http://www.jamestownpress.com/news/2013-01-17/News/Possible_rabies_case_after_raccoon_attack.html

Ohio 01/18/12 Clevelandleader.com: An Ohio expert says that the state is seeing a “shocking” increase in deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. Richard Gary, an entomologist with the Ohio Department of Health, says that 183 ticks submitted to his agency last year were confirmed as black-legged ticks, which are also known as deer ticks. An additional 1,830 of the ticks were found on deer heads collected from hunters by other state offices. Some were found to carry the Lyme bacteria. Between 1989 and 2009, only 51 deer ticks were identified throughout the state. Deer ticks are most prevalent in the Ohio’s eastern and southern counties. Information about Lyme disease is now being sent out to health professionals throughout Ohio. In 2010, there were 44 reported cases of Lyme disease in Ohio.

Pennsylvania 01/18/12 Greensburg, Westmoreland County: A man and his pet German Shepherd are receiving post-exposure prophylaxis rabies shots after a coyote attack on January 12. See http://www.wpxi.com/news/30244047/detail.html

Maine 01/18/12 Dixfield, Oxford County: Six members of the same family are getting precautionary rabies shots after the dogs came in contact with a skunk that later tested positive for the virus. See http://www.wmtw.com/news/30238925/detail.html

Idaho 11/14/11 idaho.gov: News Release – Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists Wednesday, November 9, killed a 4 1/2 year old bighorn ram that had wandered too close to domestic sheep on private property. Healthy domestic sheep can carry bacteria that cause pneumonia and death in bighorn sheep. The ram was first reported west of Castleford on November 8. When it was reported again on November 9, the ram was mingling with cattle in the pens of a dairy located within a few miles of several domestic sheep bands. The ram’s proximity to domestic sheep made contact highly likely, particularly during the fall breeding season. At this time of year, bighorn rams may travel to find ewes and later return to the main population. To protect the population, Idaho Fish and Game policy is to remove bighorn sheep that have or are likely to contact domestic sheep. Samples were taken immediately after the sheep was killed, and the samples and carcass have been transported to the Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Health Lab in Caldwell for analysis. For more information, please contact the Idaho Fish and Game’s Magic Valley Region at 208-324-4359.

California 11/15/11 dailynews.com: Three of four pit bulls that killed 42 goats have been captured, and the fourth dog remained at large today, authorities said. The attack occurred in a corral near 164th Street and Avenue Q, in the 16300 block of Chuka Avenue near Lake Los Angeles occurred about 8 p.m. Monday, Danny Ubario of the Lancaster Animal Care Center said. About 50 goats were in the pen at the time, and the dogs were running free. “This is a tragic incident and completely avoidable,” said Marcia Mayeda, director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control. “When dogs run at large, particularly in packs, they tend to act up, feeding into each other’s mischievous behavior,” Mayeda said. “Sometimes that mentality results in tragedy, such as what happened in this case.” The owners of the dogs are being sought, according to Ubario, who said the dogs had no identifying microchips or tags. “We have little information on the owner,” he said. Three of dogs were still in the pen when an animal control officer arrived. The owner of the goats brought the carcasses to the Lancaster animal shelter to dispose of them. Ubario described the attack as a “tragic deed.” The owner of the dogs could be criminally charged, “that is not to mention civil suit,” he said. The pit bulls that were caught were unlicensed, he said. “We don’t know if they have rabies vaccinations,” Ubario said.

Oregon 11/16/11 bendbulletin.com: The Oregon Court of Appeals on Tuesday extended a stay on the state’s planned killing of two wolves in Eastern Oregon. The stay will last until the court determines whether the killing of wolves in response to their attacks on livestock is warranted under the state Endangered Species Act, according to the Oregon Court of Appeals. The court issued a temporary ban Oct. 5, about two weeks after state wildlife managers announced they planned to kill two wolves from the Imnaha pack, including the lead male. Three conservation groups — Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity and Oregon Wild — appealed the state’s plan, triggering the stay and subsequent extension. Josh Laughlin, wolf campaign coordinator for Cascadia Wildlands in Eugene, said the court may issue a ruling in the next couple of months.

New York 11/16/11 Rockland County: The first mosquito samples in the county to test positive for West Nile Virus this year were collected in Ramapo, Haverstraw, and Clarkstown. See http://www.rocklandcountytimes.com/?p=343

Author’s Note: From Winn Feline Foundation – Feline calicivirus is a highly contagious pathogen responsible for about 45% of upper respiratory tract disease in cats. However, there are strains of calicivirus that appear to produce widely varying clinical signs, including arthritis, gingivitis, skin disease and lower urinary tract disease. In recent years, sporadic outbreaks of hypervirulent strains of feline calicivirus in the United States and the UK have caused alarm and triggered a new wave of research into this old feline infectious disease. This new disease has caused high mortality in the affected animals and has been termed virulent systemic feline calicivirus (VS-FCV) disease. Results of research have confirmed that each virulent calicivirus outbreak has been caused by a new strain that has arisen independently. See http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/calicivirus.html

Michigan 08/25/11 ourmidland.com: by Steve Griffin – Efforts to reduce or eliminate wild swine in the Midland area will likely be ratcheted up following discovery this month of the disease pseudo-rabies in a wild boar in Midland County. The disease, which despite its similar-sounding name is not related to rabies, was detected in a female Eurasian or Russian boar trapped, killed and tested earlier this summer, said Dr. James Averill, director of the Animal Industry Division of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Urban Development. That was the sixth documented case of the disease in Michigan, Averill said Wednesday. Averill declined to say where in the county the boar was trapped. He said that crews from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program, along with the conservation group the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, are trapping and euthanizing wild swine throughout the state. That effort will likely become more emphatic now in Midland County. “The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy and USDA Wildlife Services will try to mobilize more traps here,” he said.

Feral hogs include animals that have escaped or been released from hunting preserves, domestic swine escaped from farms and living in the wild, or a mix. They are known to destroy wildlife habitat, wreak havoc on gardens, yards and crops and spread disease to wild and domestic animals. “We test (euthanized) wild swine for several different diseases,” said Averill. “This one proved positive for pseudo-rabies,” which he classified as a livestock disease not known to affect humans. He said infection is possible, but not common, in cattle, horses, dogs, cats, sheep and goats. Averill said pseudo-rabies is among the herpes viruses. Animals under stress can shed the virus, exposing other animals to it. Michigan is currently classified as a pseudo-rabies-free state, said the veterinarian, a label very important to the pork industry. Otherwise, expensive vaccination is required, and shipment of domestic swine out of state restricted. “We want to do all we can to make sure it doesn’t get (back) into the pork industry,” said Averill.

Officials are trying to keep tabs on the swine, whose Michigan populations are estimated at 1,000 to 5,000 animals, Averill said. As for the local population, “Trying to say how many are in Midland County just is not possible.” Some of the local feral swine may be the progeny of escapees from a sport swine facility here seven or eight years ago. Citizens can help battle feral swine in a couple of ways, he said. Prompt reports of wild swine sightings (to the DNR at 517-336-5030) can put trapping crews on the trail of the far-ranging animals. Hunters and others can help by killing the swine themselves. Anyone with a hunting license or a concealed weapon permit can shoot them at any time in daylight on publicly-owned lands. On private land, anyone with landowner permission can shoot them without a license or permit.

Last year, then-DNR-director Becky Humphries issued an order designating feral hogs as an invasive species, unlawful to possess; the order was to take effect in June unless the state Legislature enacted legislation regulating the hunting preserve industry. DNR Director Rodney Stokes, at Gov. Rick Snyder’s request, pushed that deadline back to October, according to the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, and announced enforcement will begin next April unless regulations are enacted. Bills regulating the sporting swine industry have been introduced but not enacted. MUCC said this week it opposes the bills in their current forms. The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, meanwhile, has said it “is opposed to any attempts by the Legislature to merely regulate rather than ban the destructive animals.”

California 08/26/11 kcra.com: After an erratic skunk was caught inside the Downtown Plaza parking structure, Sacramento County health officials alerted mall patrons that more skunk, which could be infected with rabies, might lurk the area, Sacramento city officials said. Earlier this month, police got a call that a person at the mall was being chased by a skunk. That skunk later tested positive for rabies. The animal was caught by city animal control services. The man who caught the skunk was sprayed. Upon the request from the Sacramento County Health and Human Services, 30 signs were posted in the parking garage, warning customers and passers-by of skunk. A two-mile stretch between Miller Park and the Plaza is cause for concern because city and county officials said it is a high-density area of skunk. On Friday, two skunks were caught at Miller Park. City animal control also set up traps in the Downtown Plaza parking lot. One skunk was caught but it tested negative for the disease. The city and county is also concerned about a massive, 900-feral-cat colony near the parking garage in Sacramento.

Kansas 08/26/11 wibw.com: A suburban Kansas City man says he suffered scratches on his head after he was attacked by an aggressive hawk while running. Brian Foster says he was jogging early Thursday morning in Overland Park, Kan., when something smacked him in the back of the head. KMBC-TV reports that Foster initially thought he was being attacked by someone, but turned around to see a bird with a big wingspan flying away. Foster says he immediately headed back home because he was bleeding and reported the bird attack to police. Johnson County residents have been warned recently about aggressive hawks going after small animals. Foster, who works for the TV station, says he wasn’t badly hurt, but he did end up with a headache.

Alabama 08/26/11 andalusiastarnews.com: by Stephanie Nelson – Three people – including two Straughn High School students – are undergoing rabies treatment after being bitten by a rabid fox last Thursday night. Two sisters, along with one’s father, were attacked in separate incidents at their Rose Hill home, said Joanna Straughn, aunt and sister of the victims. Bobby Jo Harper, an environmentalist at the Covington County Health Department, said the state has confirmed the fox was rabid. Harper said this is the first fox to test positive for the disease this year. (For complete article go to http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2011/08/26/rabid-fox-attacks-3/ )

Alabama 08/25/11 dothaneagle.com: by Matt Elofson – The Houston County Health Department recently confirmed the county’s fourth case of animal rabies for 2011. According to a statement from the health department, a fox found Saturday off Holmes Road tested positive for rabies. The health department investigation revealed the fox attacked a (woman) in her yard. The (woman) asked the health department to test the fox for rabies. The health department recommended that she seek advice from a doctor. According to the statement, there were five rabid animals found in Houston County during 2010, all of which were raccoons.

Virginia 08/25/11 dailypress.com: A fox that bit a woman in the foot tested positive for rabies, the Suffolk Health Department said. This happened in the Kenyon Road area of Suffolk. The woman is receiving post-exposure vaccine. Residents should seek prompt medical attention for any animal bite. Residents whose pets were in contact with an animal that might be rabid should call animal control at 514-7855 or the Health Department at 514-4751.

Elkhart County

Indiana 08/25/11 wndu.com: by Barbara Harrington – Elkhart County health officials say a 60-year-old Goshen woman died this week from West Nile. The health department isn’t releasing the woman’s name. They say the woman had no history of underlying disease and no major health problems, but her age put her at a high risk for complications. “Younger people often seem to deal better with the infection,” he said. “But older individuals may be at risk for the brain inflammation which can be life-threatening.” The case is the first clinical infection in the county this year. Although this isn’t the county’s worst mosquito summer, Dr. Daniel Nafziger says residents still need to take precautions, like wearing insect repellent containing DEET and minimizing standing water. If they don’t, Nafziger says residents could contract West Nile from local mosquitoes. Even then, the symptoms of the virus are hard to recognize. “When people get inflammation in their brain they may just get confused so it may actually be more helpful for family members if they notice that there’s something different about the way their loved one’s behaving, to have them seek medical attention,” he said. While it wasn’t the case this week, Nafziger says in most incidents, treatment works. This is the first West Nile death reported this year in Indiana. Last year just one person died in the state while 20 were sickened. On Wednesday, health officials in Jefferson County reported the state’s first human case of the illness this year.

California 08/25/11 the-signal.com: by Cory Minderhout – A seventh rabid bat has been found in the Santa Clarita Valley in a backyard, a Health Department official said Thursday. The latest rabid bat was found Aug. 16 in Santa Clarita outside a home on a patio, said Dr. Karen Ehnert, acting director for the veterinary public health and rabies control program for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. So far, 20 rabid bats have been found in Los Angeles County this year, according to the Health Department’s website. Normally, eight to 10 rabid bats are found in L.A. County each year, Ehnert said. “When one bat brings rabies into the colony, they tend to interact closely with the other bats and infect them as well,” Ehnert said. “The bats in Santa Clarita live in large colonies that are close together.” Individuals who see a live or dead bat should not touch it, Ehnert said. Instead, they should cover it and call their local animal control agency, which will pick the bat up and give it to the Health Department for rabies testing, Ehnert said.

Indiana 08/26/11 fox59.com: Marion County Public Health Department officials want to talk to anyone living in the Windsor Court Apartment complex, 7302 Queen Ann Court, who may have come in contact with a bat flying around the complex in the last several weeks. The bat has tested positive for rabies and poses a potential health threat to anyone who may have touched it or come in contact with its saliva. Health officials are especially concerned because several residents have reported seeing the bat flying in close proximity to a young man fishing in the lake. The man’s identity remains unknown. Reports of an aggressive bat acting erratically around the apartment complex pond were received August 17. A dead bat was subsequently found at the complex two days later on August 19. Indiana State Department of Health testing confirmed the bat had rabies. “Rabies is a serious disease that can be fatal. It is critical we locate anyone who had contact with this bat so we can provide critical information and any appropriate follow-up care,” said Melissa McMasters, nurse epidemiologist, Marion County Public Health Department. Health officials believe only one bat is involved and that it is the one that has been tested. Anyone living in or visiting the Windsor Court Apartment Complex who may have come in contact with a bat is encouraged to immediately call the Marion County Public Health Department at (317) 221-2106.

Nebraska 08/26/11 wowt.com: by John Chapman – Rabid bats have been found in Omaha and the Nebraska Humane Society is warning people to protect themselves against rabies. Once the weather cools, bats try to move into homes and during the past week the Humane Society has already fielded more than 100 calls dealing with bats. Bats often find their way into homes in older neighborhoods. Kay York has lived in the Dundee neighborhood for more than 40 years. She had a garage sale on Friday and five or six times a year she pulls out her bat-catching gear and captures bats that fly into her home. “We’ve had bats come in on the east side of the house and they come down through the walls and the basement. You never know what room they’re gonna go into.” Kay uses gloves and a coffee can to catch the bats if they land. She has a net to grab them out of the air if they fly around the house, though the Humane Society doesn’t approve. It would rather catch the bats for you. “If you see a bat in your home, don’t try to capture it yourself,” says the Humane Society’s Mark Langan. “Try to isolate it in a room, put towels under the door so it stays in the room, call the Humane Society. We’ll come out and get it for you.” The Humane Society will test the bats for rabies and it should, because it’s hard to tell once you’ve been bitten. “You could be bitten while you’re asleep, its not like a bite from a large animal, you may not even notice it,” says Phil Rooney with the Douglas County Health Department. Isn’t Kay afraid of bats? “Used to be, but then nobody else would catch them but me, so I’m not afraid of them anymore.” Lately, Kay hasn’t had a problem with bats as they seem to have flown away after a friend gave her a new welcome mat with a bat on it. “I put it by the back door and I haven’t had any for three to four months. I don’t know if that’s a sign or not.” Is it scaring them away? “I don’t know, hope so.” The best thing you can do is try to keep the bats out by bat-proofing your home by closing any openings larger than a quarter-inch by a half-inch, making sure your windows and doors are shut tight.

Nevada 08/25/11 foxreno.com: The Nevada Department of Agriculture is confirming a fourth bat in Washoe County has tested positive for rabies this summer. The announcement comes as officials say the state agency usually confirms rabies in 6 to 17 bats each year, typically between the months of May and October.

New York 08/26/11 myabc50.com: by Holly Boname – A public health advisory has been issued for Lewis County after a case of rabies was discovered by the New York State Department of Health. On August 25th, the Lewis County Public Health Office was notified that a raccoon that was killed tested positive for rabies. This is the fourth animal this year to be discovered with rabies in Lewis County. So far two raccoons, a cow and cat have contracted the disease that the public health office is aware of. For more information about rabies or to contact the Lewis County Public Health Agency call 315-376-5453.

North Carolina 08/25/11 the-dispatch.com: A fox found Tuesday in the Sapona community has become the 12th case of rabies in Davidson County this year, according to the county health department. The fox possibly exposed a goat, which was destroyed. There was no human exposure reported.

Oklahoma 08/26/11 newson6.com: The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is seeking the public’s help to find a woman who was giving away a litter of chow mix puppies in the parking lot of a Guthrie Walgreens last week. According to health officials, one puppy adopted from the litter developed neurologic disease. Rabies testing at the OSDH Public Health Laboratory was inconclusive. According to the OSDH, the puppies were being offered for adoption at the Walgreens parking lot at 1621 S. Division Street, in front of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Guthrie, on August 17. Officials say the puppies were being distributed by a woman, from an older white minivan or station wagon with rust. The woman was accompanied by a man. The puppies were between six and nine weeks of age and tan-brown in color. Public health officials are asking this woman, or anyone who may know her to contact the OSDH Acute Disease Service’s Epidemiologist-on-Call at (405) 271-4060 or (800) 234-5963 (24/7/365 availability). Officials say they need to speak with this woman to gather additional information regarding the puppies and whether they might have bitten anyone.

Pennsylvania 08/25/11 patch.com: by Danielle Vickery – A raccoon found in Lower Merion Township has tested positive for rabies in the first case of animal rabies in Montgomery County this year. The raccoon tested positive after a resident of the 200 block of Llanfair Road in Ardmore submitted it to the Department of Agriculture in Harrisburg, according to a release issued by Lower Merion Township Thursday afternoon. If you, a family member or a pet have had any contact with a raccoon or any other stray or wild animal, call the Montgomery County Health Department, Division of Communicable Disease Control at 610-278-5117 immediately, the release states.

Wyoming 08/26/11 kgwn.tv: by Kyle Markley – Since the beginning of 2011 there have been over a dozen cases of rabies in the Cheyenne area. At the Cheyenne Animal Shelter there have been 13 cases of rabies to be exact, many of them coming this summer. And while no pets or livestock have yet been afflicted they say it could be just a matter of time. All 13 of those cases have been skunks and just recently there’s been a case of a rabid bat in the area. “So far, knock on wood, there’s been no known cases in this area where the skunks or the bat has actually caused rabies in a dog, cat or even the livestock. We’re waiting to see that happen,” Rick Collord said. Collord says within the last year there have been cases of livestock contracting rabies in northern Wyoming and he wants people to get their livestock vaccinated here.

Canada:

Ontario 08/26/11 thesudburystar.com: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has notified the Sudbury and District Health Unit Health that two dead bats found in homes in Chelmsford and Espanola have tested positive for rabies. For more information on bats and rabies, phone 522-9200, ext. 398, or visit www.sdhu.com.

Follow-Up Report:

Massachusetts 08/25/11 patriotledger.com: (See August 26, 2011 post: Massachusetts 2-year-old attacked by COYOTE.) Police believe a coyote that attacked a toddler on Wednesday has most likely died after being shot by an officer later that night. Lt. Richard Fuller said there have been no sightings of the animal since police were called to a Main Street home at about 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, where an officer fired two shots at the coyote, which then ran into the woods. Police continued searching the woods in South Weymouth on Thursday. They didn’t find the coyote, but did find blood they believe came from the animal, Fuller said. “They haven’t found it yet and their belief is that it’s probably expired,” he said. “We’re hopeful it’s deceased deep in the woods.” Local police and state Environmental Police began searching for the coyote after it approached a 2-year-old girl on Clarendon Street at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, bit her on the head and then ran into the woods. She was treated at South Shore Hospital and began receiving shots to prevent rabies. The search was called off after several hours, but police were called back in the evening when the coyote reappeared. The girl, who was walking with her grandmother when she was attacked, suffered non-life threatening injuries, including a laceration on her head. Coyotes are common throughout Massachusetts, but they rarely attack people unless they feel that their offspring are threatened or they are sick or rabid. Police said that the animal’s description and behavior led them to believe that it was the same one that attacked the child. (For complete article go to http://www.patriotledger.com/news/cops_and_courts/x865769885/Coyote-attacks-toddler-in-Weymouth )

New York 08/25/11 watertowndailytimes.com: by Daniel Woolfolk — (See August 26, 2011 post: New York soldier returning from deployment diagnosed with RABIES) – A soldier was diagnosed Friday with rabies, although he likely contracted the disease during a recent overseas deployment. Military officials will not release the soldier’s name, condition or the country in which the infection was contracted, but a source in the north country community said the soldier had been bitten by a dog in Afghanistan. Thomas W. Skinner, a spokesman for the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the public should not be alarmed. “Rabies is not something that is likely transmitted from person to person,” he said. “You have to have direct contact with an infected individual’s saliva to really acquire this infection.” The CDC, the Department of Defense and the state Health Department are monitoring the soldier’s care. They also are checking on other potential cases, Mr. Skinner said. “There are efforts under way … to track down anybody who they believe may have had direct close contact with this person in order to assess whether or not that individual should receive post-rabies vaccinations,” he said.

Dogs are the source of 99 percent of rabies cases in humans, according to the World Health Organization, which recommends on its website that wounds be washed immediately and the patient receive a post-exposure vaccination if rabies is suspected. It’s unclear how far along the soldier’s infection is, but no diagnosis process can detect the infection before symptoms emerge, according to the organization. It recommends treatment begin days after being exposed to prevent death. WHO publications state that more than 55,000 people die from the infection each year worldwide. However, more than 15 million people are treated with a rabies post-exposure regimen, which saves an estimated 327,000 lives. The Fort Drum soldier has the first confirmed rabies case in Jefferson County that Stephen A. Jennings, public information officer for Jefferson County Public Health, can remember. Times staff writer David C. Shampine contributed to this report.

Wisconsin 08/25/11 usatoday.com: by Dinesh Ramde – (See August 15, 2011 post: CDC seeks contact with passengers that shared Delta flight 5121 with a Bat, and Follow-Up Report of August 18, 2011.)Federal and state investigators found no evidence to substantiate reports of a bat infestation at the Madison airport and have closed their investigation, officials said Thursday.

Regional Airport. Madison, Wisconsin.

The inquiry followed an Aug. 5 incident in which a bat made its way onto a Delta flight from Madison to Atlanta. Authorities interviewed baggage handlers in Madison afterward who reported seeing live bats in the area as well as dead bats on the ground. Their comments raised concerns that a colony had taken up residence at the airport. However, investigators found nothing to support either report. “There was no evidence of a bat infestation,” Danielle Buttke, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press. “At this point it appears this was an isolated incident.” (For complete article go to http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011-08-25/Officials-No-bat-infestation-at-Madison-airport/50139038/1 )

Maine 08/24/11 bangordailynews.com: by Heather Steeves – Lyme disease rates have reached an “epidemic” level on a Maine island, so a local tick disease committee is asking to bring gun hunting to the island to reduce the deer herd. Islesboro voters will decide the issue on Aug. 24. “It doesn’t seem like a big deal to many people. You get [bitten] by a tick and then a bull’s-eye rash — no big deal,” Sue Bolduc said. “This disease can be devastating.” Bolduc, 58, of Islesboro contracted the disease this summer. Before she was diagnosed she was so weak she began looking at chairs differently — would that one be too difficult to get out of? One day in early July, Bolduc was in the shower. When she bent down to pick up a bar of soap, there it was on her right thigh: the telltale bull’s-eye rash. When she stepped through the door of the island’s health center glistening with sweat, her physician assistant, Allie Wood, instantly knew: Lyme disease. While that diagnosis might not have come as quickly to most doctors, it was easy for Wood because in the past eight years, the health center has seen at least 69 cases of Lyme disease. Because the island has a year-round population of about 600 people, that’s an epidemic, according to Islesboro’s Tick-Borne Disease Prevention Committee.

So far this summer, the island health clinic has diagnosed 20 cases officially and treated more than 20 suspected cases with antibiotics. The problem is growing. Bolduc is fine now. She recognized the telltale signs of Lyme disease early in the infection and was given a dose of antibiotics, so she recovered within weeks. There were some warning signs Bolduc admits she should have seen. The fatigue she felt after the school year ended was consuming. Her 15-year-old dog had Lyme disease. Deer use her yard as a path. That last piece, the deer, have taken the brunt of the blame for the island “epidemic” in a recently issued 59-page report by the committee. A healthy deer population density in Maine is about 10 per square mile. Islesboro has closer to 50 per square mile. There are about 500 deer on the 11-mile-long island in Waldo County, which means the deer population is almost as high as the human population. Ticks on Islesboro need deer to live. They only breed on large animals, such as deer, horses and humans. So if Islesboro reduces its deer herd, it will reduce the opportunities for Lyme-infected ticks to feed and breed.

Oregon 08/22/11 state.or.us: News Release – Two wolves from the new Walla Walla pack and at least one new wolf in northern Umatilla County were seen on trail camera footage taken in August 2011. The individual wolf was seen on a trail camera Aug. 18 in the Mt Emily Unit (Umatilla County), where wolf activity has been suspected. Tracks in the area suggest this wolf may have been travelling with at least one additional wolf. ODFW will be monitoring this area for wolf activity. Two wolves from the new Walla Walla pack were seen on trail camera footage taken Aug. 11, also in Umatilla County. The Walla Walla pack was first confirmed by track evidence in January 2011. This pack’s range is not yet clear and may partly be in Washington State. Finally, a yearling wolf from the Wenaha pack was seen Aug. 5 on a trail camera in Wallowa County. The wolf is seen with its ear tags, which ODFW put on last August when the wolf was just a pup. These ear tags help wildlife managers identify wolves. (For all photos go to http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2011/august/082211c.asp )

Florida 08/24/11 wesh.com: Longwood – A local family is crushed after a bear attacked their dog Tuesday morning. Kim Staber said she was just starting her morning routine about 7 a.m. by letting her 13-year-old Sheltie, Rocks, out of their home off Markham Woods Road. “Just literally out of nowhere, a bear comes galloping out from the side yard and starts attacking him,” Staber said. Staber said the bear grabbed a hold of Rocks with its mouth and didn’t let go. The dog owner said she was screaming, but the bear kept attacking the dog. “Finally, I stepped out and screamed at the bear, and it backed up. I held the door, and with my left hand, I grabbed my dog’s front left paw,” Staber said. Staber said she rushed the dog to the veterinarian, but Rocks had to be put down. Staber said she learned the bear dragged her neighbors’ trash into her yard and was protecting its meal when the dog came out. “What if it had been me stepping outside, would the bear have attacked me or a little kid?” Staber said. Staber is warning her neighbors to watch out. “I’m just worried this bear is a little too aggressive and too much, a little too much for the neighborhood,” Staber said.

Deer tick

Pennsylvania 08/23/11 lymeactionpa.com: The Human Services Committee of the PA House of Representatives will be holding a public hearing on HB 272, The Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Education, Prevention and Treatment Act. Lyme disease is a serious issue in PA – we are #1 in reported cases (2009 data), and the cases keep climbing, more than doubling in 5 years. And ticks carry many other serious, even fatal diseases, that too many medical practitioners know little about. And, the CDC has reported that children ages 5-14 are most at risk. House Bill 272 directs the Department of Health to establish a task force to address the issues surrounding Lyme disease. This task force will make and implement recommendations regarding the gaps in education, prevention and surveillance of Lyme and other tick borne diseases in Pennsylvania. The bill will also ensure that Physicians can apply the two different standards of care that exist today for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Insurance companies have “cherry picked” which standards of care they will approve – effectively “practicing medicine” instead of doctors. With this bill, physicians will be able to apply longer-term therapies to treat Lyme disease that does not respond to shorter courses. Research has long demonstrated persistence of these infections which are related to syphilis. Lastly the bill ensures that insurance companies will pay for the treatment the physician prescribes, putting medical decisions back in the hands of physicians and patients where they should be made. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 from 10 am until 12 noon in Harrisburg, PA. If you, or a loved one, have been personally affected by Lyme disease, please come to the hearing in Harrisburg, or call the Chair of the Committee, Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (215) 750-1017 or (717) 783-7319. You can also submit letters to: Elizabeth Yarnell, Legislative Analyst, Human Services Committee eyarnell@pahousegop.com or call (717) 787-8110. (See template letters at http://lymeactionpa.com/ )

San Joaquin County

California 08/24/11 lodinews.com: by Ross Farrow – A 74-year old Stockton man has been tentatively diagnosed with the West Nile virus, according to the San Joaquin County Health Services Department. The man, whose name has not been disclosed, has initially tested positive, but the case can only be confirmed after further testing is completed, according to a news release. If the man tests positive, it will be the first human infection of the mosquito-borne disease in the county this year, according to county Public Health Officer Karen Furst.

Riverside County

California 08/23/11 mydesert.com: by Lorraine Whetstone – A preliminary mosquito test taken at The Living Desert was positive for West Nile virus, a county vector control official confirmed Tuesday. The in-house test by the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District from a trap sample taken Aug. 19 still has to be confirmed by the Center for Vectorborne Diseases at UC Davis, said Greg White, a vector ecologist with the district. That will take a day or two. The district sent out more technicians to The Living Desert today for additional testing. Nyla Patzner, a spokeswoman for the Palm Desert wildlife and botanical park, said Tuesday they’re waiting for the confirmed results before commenting. If he had to estimate, White said the district’s in-house tests are accurate 80 to 90 percent of the time.

Jefferson County

Indiana 08/24/11 indianasnewscenter.com: by Scott Sarvay – The State’s first human case of West Nile virus has been confirmed in Jefferson County. In addition to the human case, mosquito groups in 11 counties have now tested positive for the virus. Those counties include: Adams, Allen, Bartholomew, Boone, Carroll, Hamilton, Hendricks, Henry, Marion, Morgan and Vanderburgh. State health officials have also confirmed the virus in a crow in Marion County and a horse in Noble County.

Nevada 08/19/11 rgj.com: by Keith Trout – While mosquito populations from traps in Mason Valley were lower in the recent trapping efforts, there have been three more positive results for West Nile Virus. In addition, there have been horses found to be infected with the virus in Silver Springs. Bud Stinson, manager of the Mason Valley Mosquito Abatement District, reported the first positive test for West Nile Virus in the state in late July, and that report was later followed up by other positive tests in Churchill and Clark Counties. Stinson is also reporting that early August mosquito trapping efforts in Mason Valley have yielded three more positive results–two from traps along the Walker River near Miller Lane and another in the brush near the river west of Yerington, the site of the first positive result.

Onondaga County

New York 08/24/11 syracuse.com: by James T. Mulder – An increase in mosquito-borne virus activity coupled with two suspected human cases of West Nile virus have prompted Onondaga County public health officials to do aerial spraying of the Cicero Swamp area. Dr. Cynthia Morrow, Onondaga County’s health commissioner, announced this afternoon the spraying will tentatively take place 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday night, weather permitting. The decision to spray was made after evidence of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile virus was found in mosquitoes collected in the Cicero Swap area.

Suffolk County

New York 08/22/11 newsday.com: by Delthia Ricks – Nineteen additional mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk County, bringing to 50 the total number of positive pools found so far this season and far more than the 19 positive samples found so far in Nassau.

Pennsylvania 08/23/11 southernchestercountyweeklies.com: Russellville Grange #91 will host a program on Lyme Disease, to be presented by the PA Lyme Disease Awareness Committee of the Chester/Delaware County Farm Bureau, in collaboration with Lyme Disease Assoc. of Southeastern PA, Inc. and the Chester County Health Dept. The session will be held on Thursday, September 1, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Russellville Grange on PA Route 896, one block north of Route 10, in Oxford. The speaker will be Douglas W. Fearn, President of Lyme Disease Assoc. of Southeastern PA, Inc. and author of the booklet “Lyme Disease and Associated Diseases, the Basics”. The talk is free and open to the public. Topics will cover the risks, symptoms, and prevention of Lyme Disease. Please call Fran Sharon at 610-932-2549 for further information or to confirm time and date.

Canada:

British Columbia 08/24/11 lillooetnews.net: by Wendy Fraser – An audit conducted by the BC Conservation Officer Service indicates commercial dumpsters are a large contributor to ongoing bear problems in Lillooet. The audit was done in July during the follow-up investigation of a bear attack that claimed the life of Xaxli’p elder Bernice Adolph. Bear sign, including paw prints, claw marks and bite marks, was found on 26 per cent of the 37 garbage dumpsters audited. The report says the bear sign was indicative that bears had recently accessed garbage or attempted to access garbage at the dumpsters. He suggested that simple improvements to dumpsters, such as using metal lids instead of plastic lids, keeping dumpsters closed securely and replacing standard dumpsters with “bear-proof” dumpsters, could “rapidly reduce bear-human conflicts in areas with high pedestrian traffic in Lillooet…Such changes can go a long way to keep both the bears and the community safe. (For complete report go to http://www.lillooetnews.net/article/20110824/LILLOOET0101/308249993/-1/lillooet/bears-lured-by-commercial-dumpsters-all-over-town )

Burlington, Ontario

Ontario 08/24/11 cbc.ca: A woman in Burlington, Ont., who tested positive for West Nile virus has died, health officials say. A test is underway to confirm the infection and the results are expected by the end of the week, a public health officer in Halton Region said Wednesday. The woman, who was in her 70s, had not left the province. The last death associated with West Nile in the region occurred in 2002. Elsewhere in Ontario, an Essex man who donated blood tested positive for West Nile, the Windsor-Essex County medical officer of health said last week. “We do have two confirmed human cases of West Nile so far this year,” Andrew Morrison, a spokesperson for Ontario’s health ministry, said Wednesday. “One is travel related, so it’s an Ontario resident who had been outside of Ontario and came back with West Nile virus. The other is one that was discovered through a blood donor.” No other details were available about the travel-related case.

Follow-Up Report:

Montana 08/24/11 missoulian.com: by Perry Backus – (See post dated August 24, 2011: Montana game warden says sheep rancher justified in killing wolves) Two wolves shot and killed northwest of Hamilton Monday were 4-month-old pups, which may have been orphaned five weeks ago when a female wolf was killed at the same location. “The female that was killed had nursed pups,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wolf biologist Liz Bradley. “I’m fairly certain that they were her pups.” A wolf shot in May on the outskirts of Hamilton may have been the breeding male. It was in the process of attacking dogs tied within 35 yards of a home. “They were probably a new pair that established this spring and had pups,” Bradley said. “I don’t know if there are any left. … We’ve seen this happen before in the Bitterroot. A new pair of wolves will try to squeeze in someplace that is not a good place for wolves to make a living.” Bradley hopes people in the area will let her know if they spot any other wolves. Bradley’s phone number is (406) 865-0017. “I would be interested in hearing from the public about any sightings,” she said. “I had a recent report of a gray and a black wolf. There have not been any other reports.” The pups weighed about 35 pounds. Yearling wolves are closer to full size. A yearling male will weigh about 85 pounds and a female about 75 pounds. “They will stand as tall as an adult,” she said. The pups were old enough to be weaned and to eat solid food. They may have survived by scavenging or eating small animals like squirrels. “They were not big enough yet to kill a deer or an elk,” Bradley said. “They were not going down a good path by already harassing sheep and goats.” The two wolves were shot by a landowner who spotted them about 300 yards from his home. The wolves were standing near a group of sheep and goats that had retreated atop a pile of rocks in the pasture. The female wolf was shot after the rancher spotted her eating a newly killed lamb. Both shootings were determined to be justified by FWP wardens.

Jerry Genesio

Author of "UNSEEN HAZARDS That Threaten Hunters, Campers, and Hikers: What you should know about pathogens commonly found in wildlife."

This is where wildlife and healthcare professionals, hunters, campers, hikers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts will find interesting information about natural unseen hazards that place them at risk. As my book focused exclusively on Rabies, Tetanus (Lockjaw), Tularemia (Rabbit Fever), Brucellosis (Undulant Fever), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Borrelia (Lyme Disease), posts regarding these six diseases will be limited to more recent developments and items of interest that were not included or were not available when the book was published in June of 2009. Topics will also include Chronic Wasting Disease, West Nile Virus, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and other diseases of particular interest to those who work and play in the great American outdoors.

Don’t Be Afraid – Be Aware!

The Natural Unseen Hazards blog is available to all free of charge and is maintained as a public service.

If you have questions related to pathogens commonly found in wildlife, e.g. the disease caused by a specific pathogen, hosts, vectors, symptoms, treatment, territorial range, etc., please comment here or e-mail to jerrygenesio@gmail.com and I will attempt to provide answers.

"Chance favors the prepared mind."
Louis Pasteur

Unless otherwise noted, images have been provided by the CDC Public Health Image Library, Wikimedia Commons, the National Park Service or other government agencies, Bing.com, and/or Google.com.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Marie Curie

"It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret."
Jackie Joyner Kersee